Throughout much of the 1980s and 1990s, horror films experienced significant setbacks. Among the mediocre slashers trying to make it big Scream without achieving this and remakes of Asian hits, was the worst in decades. So success Sixth sense In 1999, he revived the genre and paved the way for a series of innovative productions that surprised with their quality on all levels. But few have been as impressive as Restdirected and written by Alejandro Amenabar, which you can currently enjoy on Netflix.
The film, released in 2001, is not only a successful combination of historical drama and haunted house trope. It is also a meditation on the boundaries of life and death, using a story in which the living and the dead coexist with each other without even knowing it. The script uses a huge house on the island of Jersey (English Channel) as the center of the dark room. A mother (played by the magnificent Nicole Kidman) and her two children struggle to stay on their feet amid the aftermath of World War II. But also, they will have to face what lurks in the darkness, what haunts them until they almost drive everyone to madness.
Amenábar does not take the easy route of shocks or nightmarish horrors, although he also includes them in his premise. Instead, it turns hallways and rooms into claustrophobic and oppressive environments. Step by step, what begins as a traditional ghost story also becomes a meditation on suffering, loss and loneliness. At the same time, the director gives the aesthetics and feel of the film a rare individuality that The danger from which the characters are trying to escape is more unique than one might expect.
Classic horror
With clear influence from the novel turn Henry James and its adaptation Innocent since 1961, Rest bet on subtle terror. So in a good portion of his scenes the supernatural is hinted at before it is shown in any way. Moreover, much of the script’s dramatic significance lies in a rather mundane event. Grace (Kidman) managed to survive the difficult years of World War II and is waiting for her husband Charles (Christopher Eccleston, in a short role) to return from the front. While this is happening, he must maintain the mansion and oversee the lives of his two young children. Both, victims of a strange condition that causes severe sunburn.
But the truth is that Anne (Alakina Mann) and Nicholas (James Bentley) don’t seem to be completely safe with their mother. The plot makes a bold choice to imply that the children are afraid of their mother’s harsh nature. which continuously opens and closes doors so that light does not damage them.
A resource that is used in the plot to show the almost cruel atmosphere of control that the kids suffer from under the leadership of their mother. Soon, Grace’s obsessive attention to every detail and the assumption that a rather serious event has occurred create a rarefied atmosphere. Much more difficult, since one or Various ghostly presences begin to appear around everyone.
A New Look at Grief
The situation will worsen when three servants arrive, recommended from no one knows where or by whom, to help around the house. Led by Madam (Fionnula Flanagan), everyone is acting suspicious and mysterious at best. Because of this, the already sophisticated atmosphere of the house turns into a mixture of paranoia and horror. Gradually the film develops and shows that what is hidden in the mansion This is much more brutal, heartbreaking and painful than just supernatural visions.
Even more interesting is the fact that Grace’s persistent efforts to keep her children out of the sun turns the house into an enemy that must be defeated. Thus, the property, in addition to being clearly haunted, becomes a dangerous and strange mechanism. The director plays with the idea that his characters are hiding from the light in all the rooms. Being in the dark, they must be afraid of ghosts. Between both events and during that terrifying second hour, The film also becomes a dark tale of violence, exile and trauma.
End of story
But this is the last stretch Restwhich continues to surprise and excite. Not because of its originality, but because of the way Alejandro Amenabar constructed a devastating revelation. At the same time, the way it forces the viewer to rethink everything they thought they knew about the plot. The ruse is more complex than one might expect because the plot has been careful to drop clues throughout the film. An ingenious game of hints and double meanings that… the last minutes takes on a tragic and painful meaning.
It also gives the film a dark and mournful atmosphere that becomes stronger as the story progresses. From displaying albums of post-mortem photographs (a common practice at the time) to the possibility that the creepy ghostly child is real. The film focuses all its energy on analyzing the paranormal and inexplicable. That is, through the fear, hopelessness and, ultimately, humility of its characters.
Gradually, Rest comes to a close, again showing Grace trying to protect her children. But something has changed from the first scene, which showed her scared and sad. She now knows that she is surrounded by uncharted territory that they will have to face together. Between the drama, the classic haunted house story and heartbreak, Rest It is an intriguing vision of suffering and fear. At the same time, a work of art that, despite almost two decades since its premiere, It’s still a brilliant horror film. One of his greatest achievements.
Source: Hiper Textual
